Parachute



. COQPER AND C. H. ZIM'MERMAN.

PARACHUTB APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1918.

@aoented'Apr. H, 1922 ulnar-so starts tartar oFF Q J. FRANK ooornR ANDCHARLES H- ZIMMERMAN, or AKRON, onro, ASSIGNORS .TO THE GOODYE TIBE'&RUBBER COMPANY,- or AKRON, OHIO, A coRroRA'rmN or I owe.

PARAGHUTE.

- Application filed July 29,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J. FRANK COOPER and CHARLES H. ZIMMERMAN, citlzensof the United States. and residents of Akron,

Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Parachutes, of whichthe folv the usual cord or rope heretofore provided.

A still further object is to provide an improved system of suspension ina parachute whereby the usual bulky ropes are replaced by a series ofstrips of tape; thereby providing a lighter and stronger construction,and at the same time providing improved means of connection to thesuspension cords which more evenly distributes the strain throughout theparachute surface thanhas been done by the previously used rope systems.

The above and additional objects of a similar nature, which will behereinafter more specifically treated, may be accomplished such means asare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claimswhich are appended hereto and form a part of this application. I

With reference to the drawings, wherein of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a I portion of the perimeter; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1. I

. In the rope suspension systems as now commonly used, the various ropesare carried up through the seams'of the parachute surface or envelopeand are fastened at a I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr.fill, 119220 1918. Serial No. 247,213,

common point at the top to the usually provided grommet. The splicing orfastening of the ropes to the grommet at the top makes avery bulky unionwhich is objectionable as the parachutes are folded up and kept ininoperative condition in a very small container, and the bulkiness ofthe usual different connections around the grommet at the topnecessitates the use of .a larger container.

Also in threading the cord through the seams, the seams of the parachuteare likely to be stretched sothat in practice the cords slip and moveand prevent the strains along the seams from being evenly distributed.

In the present embodiment of our invention, we propose to do away withthe usual cord system of suspension and provide aser'ies of non-elasticstrips of tape, designated in the drawing as 10, which are sewed alongthe gore seams -11 of the parachute 12. We find in practice that themost. suitable size for the strip of tape is about onehalf inch wide,but it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to thesize, shape or the kind of material used.

At the upper end of the gore seams the strips of tape 10 are turned inwith the fabric 12 over the usuallyprovided grommet 14 and sewed.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, wherein single lines represent thicknesses offabric and tape, we have illustrated diagrammatically, an arrangement ofthe tape reinforcement and the fabric of the parachute turned backaround the rope grommet 14 as just described; and also have illustratedone way of finishing off the construction of the parachute around theperimeter, both on the outside and inside, with coverings of balloonfabric, now to be described.

At the outer edge of the parachute fabric the tape reinforcement isturned back on itself, as at 15, and a short piece of the same sizedtape 16, is inserted between the two plies of the tape thus formed andproduces a loop 17 which is sewed to the para chute fabric and which isadapted to receive the spliced eye 18 of'the suspension cords 19. i

There is also provided at the outer edge 10 0 of the parachute fabric 12a lap 20 about three inches wide which is turned up on itself to form ahem which is adapted to cover the eye splice 18 where it connects withthe reinforcing tape and also projects down for tion of another strip oftape 22"set on the inside of the before mentioned reinforcing tape 21and is also doubled on itself extending up to the upper part of the hem.

At spaced intervals along the lower edge of the hem of the parachutefabric, the fabric is pierced to permit the suspension cords to becarried through, and at these particular points suitable grommets 23 aresewed to the hem and reinforcing strip, in position to encircle thecords, thereby securely fastening the hem to the two reinforcing tapes.

When the various layers of fabric and tape are assembled in positionover the eye spliced ends of the suspension cords, they are securelysewed in position by hand or otherv vide one or more strips of tapealong the.

wise, as shown at 24, the threads passing completely through the Variousthicknesses and also the strands of the cords thereby securely bindingthe reinforcing tape and suspension cords, etc in a secured position andas a unit.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we have produced a structureor reinforcement that may be easily and quickly put together and whichwill be lighter and much stronger. Although we have illus trated anddescribed a single reinforcement sewed along, the gore seams on theoutside of the parachute proper, we may also pro-' inside of theparachute, and we may also provide auxiliary layers or suitable coveringand binding strips without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is '1. A parachute-provided with strips of non-elastictape secured along the gore seams thereof, the outer end portions ofsaid strips of non-elastic tape being turned back and joined .to theouter edge portion of the parachute fabric to form loops.

2. A parachute having strips of nonelastic fabric secured along the goreseams thereof, suspension cords, and means for connecting saidsuspension cords to said strips of non-elastic fabric.

3. A parachute provided with strips of non-elastic tape secured alongthe gore seams thereof, the outer end portions of said strips ofnon-elastic tape being turned back and joined to the outer edge portionof the paraawson chute fabric to form loops, a hem secured to the outeredge portion of the parachute fabric,and suspension cords passed throughsaid hem and connected to said loops.

4. A parachute having a grommet secured at the inner edge portion of theparachute fabric, and provided with strips of nonelastic tape securedalong the gore seams and passed over said grommet and secured to theparachute fabric.

5. A parachute having a grommet secured at the inner edge ortion of theparachute fabric, and provi ed with strips of nonelastic tape securedalong the gore seams and passed over said ommet and secured .to theparachute fabric, the outer end portions of said strips of non-elastictape being turned back and joined to the outer edge portion of theparachutefab'ric to form loops for the purpose set forth.

6. A parachute having-a grommet-secured at the inner edge ortion of theparachute fabric, and provi ed with strips of nonelastic tape securedalong the gore seams and passed over said grommet and secured to. theparachute fabric, the outerend portions of said strips of non-elastictape being turned back and joined to the outer edge portion of theparachute fabric to form loops, a hem secured to the outer edge portionof the parachute fabric, and suspension cords passed through said hemand con-'- hem and reinforcing strip, and suspension.

cords having eyesplices connected to said loops, said'suspenslon cordspassin through the last mentioned grommets, an saideye splices beingsecured to said hem.

8. A parachute comprising fabric sections secured together by radialgore seams, a nonelastic tape secured along each gore seam said tapeshaving their respective outer ends provided with a looped portion, a hemaround the outer edge of the parachute for enclosing the loopedportions, and load supporting elements suspended from the loopedportions, said elements passing through the hem and being connectedthereto.-

9. A parachutecomprising fabric sections secured together by radial goreseams, a nonelastic tape secured along each gore seam said tapes havingtheir respective outer cndu v the looped portions, reinforcing stripsfor provided with looped portions, a hem around signed our names in thepresence of two subthe outer edge of the parachute for enclosingscribing witnesses.

. J. FRANK COOPER. the hem, and load supportln elements susw r pendedfrom the looped por%ions, said ele- (JHARLEb AIMMERMAN' ments passingthrough the hem and being Witnesses: connected thereto. A. H. LIDDERS,

In Witness whereof, We have hereunto E. C;LEADENHAM.

